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6 Provision of Home Helps.
The present scheme works satisfactorily and is of great
value. (See duties of Home Help, page(6)
7. Provision of Dried Milk.
Dried milk is available for every expectant mother resident
in the Borough at the cost price of l0d. per one pound
packet, but is available free or at half-price for necessitous
cases (according to the Council's scale), during the last three
months of pregnancy.
8 Complicated Midwifery.
Under the Midwives' Act, 1918, payment of fees to doctors,
summoned by midwives in respect of abnormalities of
pregnancy, labour or of the lying-in period, is obligatory on
the part of the Local Authority. The Scheme is satisfactory
as carried out in West Ham.
Consultant Service for ante-natal Cases.
The present practice of both clinic Medical Officers and
private practitioners is to refer abnormal ante-natal cases to
the Consulting Obstetric Surgeons at the two local (Voluntary)
Maternity Hospitals.
9. Convalescent Treatment for Mothers.
The Council retains two beds for convalescent nursing
mothers with their infants (up to three months of age):—
one bed at "Child Haven," Brentwood, at £2 2s. per week,
one bed at "The London Mothers' Convalescent Home,
Sunningdale, at £1 5s. per week.
Each mother is sent away for a period of two weeks, with
considerable resultant benefit to her health, both physical and
mental.
F. GARLAND COLLINS,
Medical Officer of Health.
7th January, 1935.
COUNTY BOROUGH OF WEST HAM.
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH'S DEPARTMENT.
Duties of Home Helps.
1—To act under the direct supervision of the Health Visitor for 14
days following the confinement.
2—To be at hand at the time of labour and confinement; to see
that the patient's room is clean and everything in readiness
for the arrival of the Doctor or Midwife. The Home Help is
not responsible for the confinement itself, nor must she interfere
in any way with the instructions of the Doctor or Midwife.
Payment will not be granted to a Home Help if she
undertakes, in any way, the duties of a Maternity Nurse.
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